Akin, gaining on McCaskill in newest poll, will not attend Values Voters Summit

By Alexandra Jaffe - 09/12/12 05:11 PM ET

Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri Rep. Todd Akin will not be attending a Family Research Council Political Action Committee meeting this weekend, despite reports that FRC President Tony Perkins had said he would be there.

Akin spokesman Ryan Hite said he wasn't sure why Perkins had said at a National Press Club luncheon earlier that day that Akin would attend the weekend meeting, scheduled to coincide with the Values Voters Summit, the annual meeting of social conservatives in Washington. Hite said that Akin had plans to campaign in Missouri this weekend, and that those plans would not change.

FRC spokesman Darin Miller confirmed that Akin would not be in attendance.

"Akin will not be joining us. He had planned to attend an FRC Action PAC event, but changed last-minute to stay in Missouri and attend events there," he said.

Social conservatives likely to attend the Values Voters Summit are the same ones from whom Akin has received the most outspoken support following the explosion of controversial comments he made that rocked his campaign. After Akin said that pregnancy is rare in cases of "legitimate rape" because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," prominent Republicans, including Mitt Romney, denounced his comments and asked for him to step down from the nomination.

Akin has persisted, however, receiving the support of prominent social conservatives like Perkins himself and Mike Huckabee. His appearance in front of the political action committee this weekend could've been an opportunity for the candidate to further rally that support.

And though his persistence has imperiled what originally looked like an easy win for Republicans, Akin remains competitive running against little-liked Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) in a red-leaning state. A new poll out from Rasmussen gives McCaskill a 6-percentage point lead over Akin, but that marks a shrinking lead for the incumbent, as the last survey from the Republican-leaning pollster put her ahead by 10 percentage points.

The results of the new poll could indicate that voters are becoming willing to overlook Akin's comments in light of the choice they'll have to make between a Democrat and a Republican this November.

The Rasmussen poll was conducted among 500 likely Missouri voters on Sept. 11, and has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.